Maksym I. Nikitenko (Yuryst)

Sergeant Maksym Nikitenko (call sign Lawyer) was killed on August 26, 2023, in the area of the village of Robotyne, Zaporizhzhia region. During a firefight, he received a fatal wound as a result of enemy machine gun fire. On August 12, the soldier turned 48 years old. Maksym grew up and lived in Kyiv. He studied at school No. 120. He obtained his higher education at the Kyiv National Economic University named after Vadym Hetman. Since 2019, he has been serving under contract in the Armed Forces of Ukraine. He was a participant in the Anti-Terrorist Operation (ATO) / Joint Forces Operation (JFO). Since the beginning of the full-scale invasion, the man has been participating in the defense of Ukraine against Russian occupiers. He was a scout of the 132nd separate reconnaissance battalion of the airborne assault troops of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. "My heart was shot in the head and torn apart by enemy grenades during the assault on Robotyne. We also paid our price for the counteroffensive, our families are in mourning and painful grief. On August 26, 2023, Maksym Nikitenko heroically was killed during the performance of a combat mission in one of the advanced groups that were breaking through with assaults. Maksym was the best in everything: as a loving father, as a son who called his mother every day and calmed her, as a brother to his brother, also a serviceman, and they supported each other in this struggle, were a support to each other. He was an exemplary sergeant, an example for all of us, he went out on combat missions together with his personnel, taught the soldiers to be qualified specialists and raised them as patriots. This is exactly how we all dream of seeing the commanders of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. This is a heavy loss, personally for me as well. I will not deviate from your path of defending the state, my heart. You did not deviate, and I will not deviate. We will meet in heaven," wrote his beloved Marusia Zvirobii, with whom they served together. "Ivanovych was the commander of our reconnaissance group. Very careful and very responsible. He was not afraid of tasks and always took care of people. He had skills in working with any weapon. A strong, honest person," said Ivan Tretyakov. The scout was buried on the Alley of Heroes of the Forest Cemetery in Kyiv. Maksym is survived by his mother, brother, beloved, loving family, many friends and comrades. The warrior was posthumously awarded the Order of Courage of the III degree.